Common Chervil - Anthriscus cerefolium

Chervil is an annual culinary plant that grows 30 to 50 cm (12 to 20in) tall, with finely cut leaves and long petioles at the base. Parsley is appreciated for its medicinal properties and its delicate aroma and slightly aniseed flavour. Sowing can be done from February to September for a harvest 4 to 6 weeks later.

Chervil, also known as hedge parsley or French parsley, has been known since the beginning of the Christian era. Its cultivation developed from the Middle Ages.

Originally from the Middle East, common parsley is cultivated for its appetising, purifying, diuretic, and stimulating properties. It contains vitamin C as well as trace elements. In cooking, the raw, finely chopped leaves flavour raw vegetables, salads, soups, many vegetables, sauces, stews, roasted meats, grilled dishes, and certain fish.

Chervil requires a compost addition at the end of autumn or the beginning of spring, at a rate of 3 kg per m². It prefers healthy, humus-rich, moist, well-aerated, and light soils. It can be grown in open ground as well as in pots.

Harvest: Leaves can be harvested from April to September by cutting them close to the ground according to daily needs.

Storage: For winter, chervil can be preserved by hanging the stems in a dry place. However, drying it causes it to lose some of its flavour. Freezing seems to be a preferable method.

Gardener's tip: Chervil likes the sun in spring, but it quickly flowers in summer when it is too exposed. The trick is to associate it with a few plants that can provide shade when needed.